It’s not a coincidence that the Aztecs’ three senior captains – WR Colin Lockett, OT Bryce Quigley and DB Nat Berhe – will all finish their San Diego State careers playing positions different than the ones they were recruited to play.

That’s the kind of player the Aztecs recruit, said SDSU coach Rocky Long, as he held court flanked by the three captains at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl’s pre-game press conference on Friday afternoon.

“We never make a young man change positions if he does not want to, but we bring them into the program, watch them run around and develop as players, and we put them where it helps the team the most,” Long said. “Ninety-nine percent of guys in our program are not opposed to changing positions if it’s going to give us a better chance to win.”

The three captains epitomize that philosophy. Berhe came in as a cornerback and was asked to switch to safety. He will leave the program with more starts (41 counting the bowl game) that any current player on the roster.

Lockett started out as a defensive back but was asked to move to wide receiver when the Aztecs realized they were thin at the position. He’ll leave SDSU as the school’s all-time leader in kick return yardage (2,195) and is fourth on the all-time list for all-purpose yardage (4,344 yards).

In Quigley’s case, “we went to Quigs and said, ‘We need a left tackle. We need you to gain 51 pounds.” The tight end agreed, and became a mainstay on the offensive line.

“I don’t know how any other football team is and I don’t want to judge any other football team, but we have great people in our program on and off the field,” Long said, estimating that half the Aztecs’ starters have probably switched positions at one time or other. “Our guys are team guys and team guys first.”

The secret to recruiting such affable, team-first players?

“They only come into our program thinking they’re going to play a position,” Long said, grinning. “Whatever position they think they want to play, that’s how we recruit them.”